Copper Water Bottle Guide (hammered)
The water bottle is made of solid copper, with no coating on the inside. Below is how to use it for the first time, how to let the water rest, and how to keep the bottle clean.
In six steps
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Clean the bottle first. Before first use, put the juice of half a lemon and a tablespoon of salt into the bottle, screw the cap on and shake for a minute or two. Rub the outside with lemon and salt (not too hard: salt is mildly abrasive and dissolves well in the lemon juice), rinse everything thoroughly with warm water and leave the bottle open to air dry.
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Fill with still drinking water. Water only. No juice, tea, coffee, carbonated drinks or alcohol, and no acidic drinks.
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Screw the cap on gently. The rubber ring in the cap seals the bottle watertight. Hand-tight is enough; over-tightening damages the ring.
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Let the water rest. Fill the bottle in the evening and drink the water the next morning. Allow four to eight hours and drink it within 24 hours.
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Rinse after every use. Warm water is enough. Then leave the bottle open so the inside can dry.
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Polish it when the shine fades. Every one to two weeks: the outside with lemon and salt (not too hard: salt is mildly abrasive and dissolves well in the lemon juice), the inside by shaking lemon juice and salt in the closed bottle. Rinse thoroughly and dry the bottle right away.
Patina is part of it
Solid copper naturally changes colour a little as you use the bottle. That's completely normal and actually a sign of pure, uncoated copper. If you prefer the shine, simply polish the bottle with lemon and salt (not too hard: salt is mildly abrasive and dissolves well in the lemon juice). The inside darkens too, and in a new bottle it often starts out patchy. That is normal and safe; how it works is explained in dark spots inside your copper bottle.
Cleaning
Half a lemon with a pinch of salt brings the shine back on the outside. For the inside, put lemon juice and salt into the bottle, screw the cap on and give it a shake. Rinse well and dry the bottle immediately, so no water spots remain. Never use the dishwasher or aggressive cleaning agents: they damage the copper.
The heat and dishwasher detergent attack the copper and leave dull, uneven patches.
This finish has relief. A cloth does not reach into the grooves, so acid stays behind there and keeps working on that one spot, which leaves blotches. After polishing, hold it under the tap for twenty seconds, turning it as you go, and only dry it completely afterwards.
A velvet pouch is included. Keep your copper in it when you are not using it: that saves scratches and keeps the air off the metal, so the shine lasts longer. Put it away dry. If you see pale fibres on the velvet, they are sitting loose on top and a lint roller lifts them off in a few passes. There is more on that in the velvet pouch.
Polishing brings the shine back. To hold on to it, a hair-thin layer of wax keeps the air off the metal and stretches it from days to weeks. That is what how to keep copper shiny is about.
Questions about this product?
The most common questions are answered on the product page itself, or check the general FAQ page.